Safety step-in heel binding for skis

ABSTRACT

A step-in safety ski heel binding includes a heel holding means engaging the heel of a ski boot, the heel holding means operatively connected to a linkage or lever arrangement which engages one or more flat or leaf springs. The force of the springs acting against the lever arrangement retains the heel of the ski boot on the ski and absorbs ordinary skiing shocks without release and releases the ski boot when an upwardly directed force is exerted on the heel-holding means which exceeds the force of the springs.

tlnited States Patent [191 Kusianovich [45] J n, 22, 1974 [54] SAFE'IYSTEP-IN HEEL BINDING FOR SKIS 2,718,403 9/1955 Pratt 280/] L35 T [76]Inventor: John D. Kusianovich, 1829 Sigma Chi Rd., Albuquerque, N. Mex.Primary Examiner-Roberl Song 37106 Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Richard W.Seed et a1.

22 Filed: Dec. 13, 1971 T [21] Appl. No.: 207,309 [57] ABS RACT Astep-in safety ski heel binding includes a heel holding meansengaging'the heel of a ski boot, the heel [g2] 280/l1.35 T holding meansoperatively connected to a linkage or 1 l er arra gement e g g one ormore fl or 1e 0 care T leaf p g The force the p g acting g i the 56 R fd lever arrangement retains the heel of the ski boot on 1 e erences ltethe ski and absorbs ordinary skiing shocks without re- UNITED STATESPATENTS lease and releases the ski boot when an upwardly di- 3,671,0526/1972 Wilkes 280/11.35 T rected force is exerted on the heel-holdingmeans 2,823,922 2/1958 Berlenbach 280/11.35 T which exceeds the force ofthe springs. 2,433,161 12/1947 Schwarze 280/1 1.35 T 3,325,178 6/1967Reuge 280/1 1.35 T 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures SAFETY STEP-1N HEELBINDING FOR SKIS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l Field of the inventionThis invention relates to a ae -ia-sarer ski Heel binding employing oneor more flat or leaf springs in the construction thereof.

2. Prior Art Relating to the Disclosure Numerous step-in safety ski heelbindings are known which employ one or more coil springs inconjunctioniwith a toggle arrangement to retain a ski boot on a ski? and to releasethe boot when an abnormal force is ex-I is inexpensive tobuy, reliableover a reasonable period of time, simple in construction and, therefore,easy to use and maintain.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The step-in ski binding of this inventionincludes a heel holding means engaging a ski boot heel, the heel holdingmeans operatively connected to a linkage or lever arrangement operatingagainst one or more flat or leaf springs to absorb ordinary ski shocksand to release the skier in the event of a fall or exertion of abnormalpressure by the ski boot against the heel retaininsmsa a Th9 tsp-isafsty hsq ns ina Pr de a binding which (1) releases a skier dependablywhen necessary, (2) absorbs ordinary ski shocks without unnecessaryrelease, (3) is easy to adjust, use and maintain, and (4) is lessexpensive than bindings employing one or more coil springs.

thebinding in position for skiing; and

FIG. 3 shows a similar view of the binding of FIG. 1 except in the fullyreleased position wherein it is pivoted upwardly and the binding isreleased from the ski boot.

' DESCRIPTION OF THE P REEEaRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 2 shows a heelportionof a ski boot 10 secured to a ski fl by a'toe-holding device (notshown) and a heel binding 12. The heel binding comprises-an elongatedbase 13 secured by screws 15 to the upper surface of a ski 11. Thescrews may be extended through a serrated slot (not shown) along aportion of the nsth tfibs Pastel; wadin !Ih2grla 1 tbs length of the skiboot. The base 13 has upwardly extending side walls 16 which support apivot pin 17 extending essentially parallel toand transverse to the skil1. Extending upwardly from and attached by rivets 14 or other means tothe rear end of base plate 13 are one or more flat or leaf springs 18and 19. Leaf spring 19 i may be termed a shock absorbing" spring and ismounted forwardly of spring 19. Spring 18 has a V- shaped configuration,the base of the V" denoted by reference numeral 18a. Shock absorbingspring 18 acts to absorb shocks encountered during ordinary skingwithout releasing the ski boot from the ski.

An adjustment screw 20 is threaded through holes in the upper end ofrelease springfl). The distance be tween the end of adjustment screw 20and the rear surface of spring 18 determines the release force necessaryto release the ski boot from the binding. Preferably, the upper portionof release spring 19 is formed into an upsidedown U-configuration andthe adjustment screw 20 threaded through both of the legs of the U. Thelegs of the U are spread slightly so that there will be tension on theadjustment screw 20 to keep it from vibrating loose during skiing. Thetravel of the screw should be limited to prevent the binding from beingadjusted too tightly to release.

A lever 21 is mounted for pivoting aboutpivot pin 17. The forward endoflever 21 is provided'with a heel supporting plate 22 while the rearportion 23 thereof presses or acts against the shock absorbing spring18.

Heel depressing lever 24 is also mounted for pivoting abtfiFpWSf-pin 17. The forward end of lever24 is pro vided with a heel engaging plate25."'l"he plate 25 may be formed into a flat spring so as to exertforward pressure on the ski boot heel independently of the leaf springs18 and 19. The rearend of lever 24 turns downwardly and is provided witha slot 26 through which lever 21 extends so that an upwardly directedforce F on the heel engaging plate 25 is transmitted through the lever24 as a downwardly directed force on the rear portion of lever 21. Theterminating edge of lever 21, in turn, acts against spring 18 to pressit backwardly against the nub end of adjustment screw 20 which in turnacts against spring 19.

The heel engaging plate 25 is adjustable by a screw 27 threaded throughlevers 21 and 24 to different elevations above the heel supporting plate22. A spring 31 is inserted between the levers 21 and 24 surrounding thescrew 27. The lever 24 may also be provided with integrallyformeddownwardly extendingflaps 28 to prevent snow and ice from cakingin the interior of the mechanism. A recess 29 may be provided on theupper end of spring 18 to receive a ski pole tip allowing the skier topush against the spring to aid in stepping out of the binding whendesired. Rings 30 may also be secured to the upper surface of lever 24for attachment of .a runaway strap.

OPERATION forwardpressure is exerted against the heel of the b oot bythe flat spring formed as an integral part of the heel depressing means25. This forward pressure operates independently of the release andshock absorbing springs 18 and 19.

If the skier wants to release the heel binding from the boot at anytime, pressure by means of a ski pole tip or other suitable means may beexerted against springs 18 or 19, allowing the rear portion 23 of lever21 to pivot downwardly past the apex 18a of spring 18.

During skiing or due to a fall of the skier, an upwardly directed forceF is transmitted from the heel of the ski boot to lever 24 in contactwith the heel, tending to cause the forward end of lever 24 to pivotupwardly about pivot pin 17 and to press against the lower surface ofthe head of screw 27. The screw may be positioned on either side of thepivot pin 17. The rear end of lever 24 exerts a downwardly directedforce on lever 21 where it contacts lever 24. Lever 21, in turn, actsagainst the forwardly directed force of spring 18 and 19 and forcesspring 18 rearwardly into contact with the tip of adjustment screw 20which reacts against the release spring 19. lf the upwardly directedforce F exceeds the combined forces of springs 18 and I9, lever 21 isforced past apex [8a of spring 18 to release the heel of the ski boot.The force necessary to release the ski boot from the heel binding may becontrolled by the degree to which the release spring 19 is bent. Theless the spring is bent, the less is the release force at the time ofrelease. The size of the shock and release springs and the material ofwhich they are made can also be varied to control the release force.

The step-in ski heel binding described can be fabricated from a minimumnumber of parts. Leaf or fiat springs employed may be stamped from anysuitable metal and do not require tempering as do coil springs used byprior ski heel bindings. Most of the remaining portions of the bindingcan also be made by a stamping operation which is one of the leastexpensive manufacturing methods.

The embodiments of the invention in which a particular property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A step-in ski heel binding operable to automatically release a skiboot from a ski on exertion of an abnormal force on the bindingcomprising:

a base having parallel upwardly extending side walls,

a pivot pin supported by and extending in a transverse direction betweenthe side walls,

linkage means secured to the pivot pin intermediate its ends forvertical movement about the pivot pin, one end of the linkage meansengaging the heel portion of the ski boot,

leaf spring means including a first leaf spring secured to the base andextending upwardly to engage the opposite end 2. The binding of claim 1wherein the second lever forms a housing surrounding the first lever toprevent caking of snow and ice in the interior of the binding.

3. The binding of claim 1 including means on the upper end of the firstleaf spring for receiving the tip of a ski pole to exert sufficientpressure against the spring to release the binding from the boot.

4. The binding of claim 1 wherein the linkage means includes (1) a firstlever mounted for pivoting about the pivot pin in a vertical directionhaving a forward end portion engaging the bottom surface of the heel ofa ski boot, (2) a second lever pivotally mounted about the pivot pin forpivoting in a vertical direction having a forward end portion engagingthe top rim of the heel of a ski boot and a rear portion turneddownwardly and provided with a slot through which the rear portion ofthe first lever extends so that, in the presence of an upwardly directedrelease force by the heel of the ski boot against the forward endportion of the second lever, a downwardly directed release force istransmitted to the rear portion of the first lever against the pressureof the leaf spring means.

5. A step-in safety ski heel binding operable to automatically releaseon exertion of an upwardly directed release force exceeding the force ofadjustable leaf spring means, comprising;

a base for securing the binding to a ski having upwardly extendingsidewalls parallel to the length dimension of the base,

a pivot pin supported by and extending between the sidewalls of the basetransverse to the length dimension of the base,

a first lever mounted on the pin intermediate its ends for verticalmovement about the pin between a skiing position and a release position,the forward end of the first lever including means contacting the bottomsurface of the heel of a ski'boot,

leaf spring means including a first leaf spring secured to the rearportion of the base extending upwardly to contact the rear end of thefirst lever, the spring means normally retaining the first lever in theskiing position in the absence of a release force, and

a second lever mounted on thepin intermediate its ends for verticalmovement about the pin between the skiing position and the releaseposition, the forward end of the second -lever including means engagingthe top rim of the heel of the ski boot and the rear end having adownwardly extending flange provided with a slot through which the rearend of the first lever extends so that an upwardly directed releaseforce against the forward end of the second lever by the ski boot istransmitted as a downward force against the first lever and against theleaf spring means to progressively deflect the leaf spring means untilthe upwardly directed release force exceeds the force of the leaf springmeans, whereupon the first and second levers move to release positionreleasing the ski boot from the ski.

6. The binding of clajmS including a second leaf spring extendingupwardly back of the first leaf spring and adjustable means extendingbetween the two leaf springs for adjusting the release force necessarytoovercorne the combined force of the forward and rear springs.

1. A step-in ski heel binding operable to automatically release a skiboot from a ski on exertion of an abnormal force on the bindingcomprising: a base having parallel upwardly extending side walls, apivot pin supported by and extending in a transverse direction betweenthe side walls, linkage means secured to the pivot pin intermediate itsends for vertical movement about the pivot pin, one end of the linkagemeans engaging the heel portion of the ski boot, leaf spring meansincluding a first leaf spring secured to the base and extending upwardlyto engage the opposite end
 2. The binding of claim 1 wherein the secondlever forms a housing surrounding the first lever to prevent caking ofsnow and ice in the interior of the binding.
 3. The binding of claim 1including means on the upper end of the first leaf spring for receivingthe tip of a ski pole to exert sufficient pressure against the spring torelease the binding from the boot.
 4. The binding of claim 1 wherein thelinkage means includes (1) a first lever mounted for pivoting about thepivot pin in a vertical direction having a forward end portion engagingthe bottom surface of the heel of a ski boot, (2) a second leverpivotally mounted about the pivot pin for pivoting in a verticaldirection having a forward end portion engaging the top rim of the heelof a ski boot and a rear portion turned downwardly and provided with aslot through which the rear portion of the first lever extends so that,in the presence of an upwardly directed release force by the heel of theski boot against the forward end portion of the second lever, adownwardly directed release force is transmitted to the rear portion ofthe first lever against the pressure of the leaf spring means.
 5. Astep-in safety ski heel binding operable to automatically release onexertion of an upwardly directed release force exceeding the force ofadjustable leaf spring means, comprising; a base for securing thebinding to a ski having upwardly extending sidewalls parallel to thelength dimension of the base, a pivot pin supported by and extendingbetween the sidewalls of the base transverse to the length dimension ofthe base, a first lever mounted on the pin intermediate its ends forvertical movement about the pin between a skiing position and a releaseposition, the forward end of the first lever including means contactingthe bottom surface of the heel of a ski boot, leaf spring meansincluding a first leaf spring secured to the rear portion of the baseextending upwardly to contact the rear end of the First lever, thespring means normally retaining the first lever in the skiing positionin the absence of a release force, and a second lever mounted on the pinintermediate its ends for vertical movement about the pin between theskiing position and the release position, the forward end of the secondlever including means engaging the top rim of the heel of the ski bootand the rear end having a downwardly extending flange provided with aslot through which the rear end of the first lever extends so that anupwardly directed release force against the forward end of the secondlever by the ski boot is transmitted as a downward force against thefirst lever and against the leaf spring means to progressively deflectthe leaf spring means until the upwardly directed release force exceedsthe force of the leaf spring means, whereupon the first and secondlevers move to release position releasing the ski boot from the ski. 6.The binding of claim 5 including a second leaf spring extending upwardlyback of the first leaf spring and adjustable means extending between thetwo leaf springs for adjusting the release force necessary to overcomethe combined force of the forward and rear springs.